THE SWORD AND SICKLE

PART ONE

CHAPTER FOUR

CONVERSATIONS WITH ALINDA

According to one Greek legend, Aphrodite was born from foam and walked out of the sea as a creation of the god Uranus. The legend tells us that Uranus cut off one of his testicles, tossing it into the sea to create life on this world, and this act caused the ocean to foam. Aphrodite arose out of the foam to be the first of his creatures to walk on the land, and she became the goddess of love. These legends tell us that the god Zeus married Aphrodite off to the ugliest god, Hephaestus, but she was not happy with this arrangement, so she loved whoever she wanted. One day, she spies the loveliest of mortal men, Adonis, and she falls madly in love with a human. He was a great hunter who roamed the land of the Hebrews, and she lusted for mortals. One day, while on earth playing with Adonis (the same name as the Hebrew god Adonai), she said, "Adonis, I have to leave, but while I am gone, I do not want you to hunt the wild boar." However, while she was gone, he thought he should hunt the boar, and the wild boar killed him. When Aphrodite returned to earth, she could not find her beloved Adonis. She searched the land and found her Adonis dead. She mourned his death for days and refused to bury him. Finally, she took his body to the god Zeus and begged him to restore Adonis to life by making him a god. Zeus told her that he could not, that she must go to Persephone and make a deal with her. Aphrodite then went to Persephone, goddess of the nether world, and begged for Adonis' life. Eventually, they worked out a deal between Persephone and Zeus, where for six months Adonis could be with Aphrodite, and for six months Adonis would reside in the underworld with Persephone. After time had passed, Adonis was eventually allowed to become a god, and Aphrodite appointed him the god of the Hebrews.

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Levi's guide, Alinda, spent many hours with him, and they would have long conversations about life, God, and the Earth. During a dream in August of twenty-seven, Levi was alerted by the sound of feet nearing his bedside, and he felt his guide's presence. His brain was in that strange between-world of full alertness and full sleep; he awaited Alinda's touch. She sat down beside him on the bed. He could feel the mattress sag from her weight. She leaned over him and ran her long hair gently over his face, which tickled him, and he awoke. He opened his eyes to find himself alone in bed. He closed his eyes immediately, and in a few seconds he asked, "Alinda, are you still here?" no reply. Again, he asked, "Alinda, are you here?" Suddenly, Levi felt her head slam down hard on his chest, so hard he had his breath knocked out of him. He coughed violently, and when he had finished coughing, he heard Alinda giggle and say, "Of course I am here, silly."

Levi smiled and turned over and felt for her. He had no problem finding a body beside him and wrapped his arm around her body, felt her luscious, full breasts. He cupped her left breast in his hand and spooned with her as they lay quietly in his bed. He could feel her firm nipple as he played with his fingers. Moaning, she arched her back, giving easy access to her sex. Levi didn't want sex; he wanted to talk. He started asking questions, and frustrated Alinda sat up, crossed her legs, and sat facing him. She said, somewhat perturbed, "All you want to is ask questions. Her I am offering you my body, and you want me to answer questions?"

"Yes, I do want answers, Alinda. If I give into your desires I cum and off you go to wherever and I won't see you again until you want to show up in my sleep, again."

"What is it, Levi. You think you have captured a fairy or succubus, and now you get your wishes answered? I warn you, don't anger a god!" Her voice shakes the room. "I will answer your questions, although I've already shown you the secrets of the universe; you've forgotten them all, too much for a mortal mind to comprehend. I will answer them for you, because I like you. And because I think you're cute. Okay, Cutie, ask me a question.

Who exactly are you, and how long have you lived?"

"The Greek name for me is Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and the Romans called me Venus, but my real name is Alinda. The name Alinda comes from the language of the ancients. Alinda means balcony or support of the gods. Aphrodite is the goddess of love, and therefore love is the support of the gods, or an alinda. It's not as confusing as it sounds Levi. Alinda means balcony, and that balcony is made of love (Aphrodite, Goddess of Love), and that love supports everything, even the gods!" She raises both arms up high, shakes her boobs and shouts, "Yea, If I had his job, I wouldn't have time to tempt the celibates. Tempting celibates is so much fun. I mean, I like to watch them flog themselves after I visit them in their sleep, serves them right. After all, who do they think they are, refusing the Goddess of Love? As for my age, Levi, don't you know it's not nice to ask a lady her age? But here is a riddle for you. If I am as old as the earth, and I am not nearly as old as you, then who are you?"

"All these things I have told you and will tell you, don't forget them, and don't ever turn down my offers of love again, or you will give me a bad reputation among the gods. Remember, Levi, it's not who I am; it's who you are. That is always the question the mortal soul must answer."

"I will write all the things down before I forget them, and I will never spurn your love again."

She replied, "Good," and she disappeared.

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